Kevin GodbeeThank you for joining us for The Pipes Magazine Radio Show—the only radio talk show for pipe smokers and collectors. We broadcast weekly, every Tuesday at 8 pm eastern USA time and are available on nearly all podcast sites and apps. Listen on your computer, tablet, phone and even in the car! Our Featured Interview tonight is with Jeremiah Sandahl. Jeremiah is a part-time pipe maker, full time web developer, and a classically-trained piano player. Tonight’s music will be performed by Jeremiah as well. In the "Pipe Parts" segment, Brian will talk more about pipe shapes. This time he will tell us which pipe shapes he considers the best shapes for smoking—the Pot & Poker. Sit back, relax with your pipe, and enjoy The Pipes Magazine Radio Show!

E. RobertsOkay, okay, purists will argue that it’s technically in New Joisey. All the same, it retains the name of The New York Pipe Show, and though small—particularly in comparison to the big shows like Chicago, Vegas, or Kansas City—it’s a charmingly intimate affair that we in the northeast look forward to every year. For one, it means that spring has finally arrived (albeit right after a major snowstorm usually). Its small size also means that it’s not as overwhelming as the big shows—you can take it all in and appreciate it in a couple hours, take your time browsing, and really enjoy having a low-key chat with old pipe buddies.

E. RobertsJust a little while longer. Nineteen days, two hours, fifty-six minutes and a handful of seconds, to be exact. A little under three weeks, if all goes well, until we’re home free. We’re almost there … must … hold out … for … spring. In the meantime, I’m fortunate to have a tin of Mac Baren Virginia No.1 on hand to see me through to the end of the current ice age.

Perhaps I am overeager in my anticipation of the change of season; snow in March tends to have that effect on me. Virginia No.1 fuels that anticipation with its aroma promising long days, short nights, and all the smells and tastes of a hot, dry summer. This classic blend from Mac Baren’s venerable stable has been a mainstay of their lineup since its introduction in 1957, and one taste is all it takes to confirm the reason for its enduring relevance.

Kevin GodbeeThe Mac Baren Tobacco Company today released the strongest tobacco they have ever made. The new HH Bold Kentucky is so strong that it is the first Mac Baren tobacco to ever be rated a 4 on the company’s strength scale. Each Mac Baren tobacco tin has a scale of 1 to 5, but in over 125-years, they have never produced a tobacco stronger than a 3. HH Bold Kentucky, at a 4 rating is definitely not for beginners.

In recent years, it seems that the market has been demanding stronger and stronger tobaccos, both in premium cigars, and pipe tobacco. A great benefit for those that can handle the larger amount of nicotine is the exceptional flavor of Dark Fired Kentucky tobaccos. They really taste delicious—earth, leather, and smoky, but not smoky like Latakia, more like roast pork. Mac Baren calls HH Bold Kentucky a tobacco "for pipe smokers with hair on their chest and big tattoos".

Ask G. L. Pease

G. L. PeaseFrom the "That Never Happens" department: I just realized that I missed last month's column. Completely. Really. Fact of it is that I very nearly missed January every other way, too. I remember that it arrived, something about New Year's Day, and then a flurry of stuff from every corner occupied my days until, right, February, and then some. I'd love to claim that I slept through it, but judging from the generally weary condition of somnambulation that only barely passes for my waking state, it's clear that didn't happen. In the midst of general commotion and chaos, I do know that I've been working on some interesting projects that I can't yet talk about (such a tease), but they've kept my brain distracted enough to clobber any notion of tempus's fugiting. And, tempus really do fugit. It was a note via email asking if I was still alive , a note that I could not be cruel enough to leave unanswered, that broke the trance, and, here we are. During my apparent absence, a lot of blending thoughts have been perpetually percolating in mine own kopf, so as I dug through the mail bag, I grabbed some contextually apropos submissions to start the first column of the year, a month late. Did you miss me?

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The Pipe Pundit

Fred BrownIn this, our current winter of storms and tantrums and the solid silence of ice and snow, and as the years advance, it has become more and more apparent to me that my pipes are more comforting than I have ever imagined.

Especially since I have been manacled by ice and covered by weather customary to more northern climes. This New Ice Age has locked me away, unable to smoke my beautiful pipes. Blessedly, spring is not far away. Not all hope is lost through these wicked, cold portals.

the Gentleman Smoker

Steve MorrisetteSince I was a boy I've always been intrigued by those who seem to acquire goods and services at a lower price than typical retail. They seemed smarter, more clever and creative than those that simply looked at a price tag and plunked down the cash.

Don't get me wrong, I am not a penny pincher or particularly frugal. I have former spouses that will readily affirm this – ad nauseam.

I find it an interesting challenge to find the best deal on things. Rather like Sherlock Holmes solving a case, it can consume me. Many may regard that analogy as rather too grand.

However, if one considers what is a true bargain, not just the lowest price, then the complexity of the challenge is revealed.

Pipe Lighters & Accessories

In my last lighter review and un-boxing, I spent some time comparing the Kiribi Pipe Lighter to the "im corona" Old Boy. So now it’s time to take a look at the “original,” so to speak, and take it for a spin. But first, if you have learned anything from my articles, it’s that I like to dig into a subject a little bit deeper, so lets talk a little about where this lighter came from.

Pipe Smoking Lifestyle

A. MillerA few years back Google made headlines for deciding it was going to index the world's books. Authors and publishers roared over their content being searchable and posted online. Some of their fears were probably well founded, and Google has proven itself to be anything but void of evil. Nonetheless, Google Books is something I've grown to love over the years.

I've always had a fascination for old books. In college I would roam the archives of our massive school library and pick out the volumes that were two hundred or four hundred years old. Sometimes the thoughts of people back then caused me to laugh because their worldview felt so foreign. And other times I would shudder at the familiarity of their thinking—how little had changed in so long of a time.

Put That in Your Pipe

Marshall "Butch" Armstrong I had a restless night last night and didn't get much sleep. Too many things on my mind I suppose, and so today I kept nodding off. I went out to the garage to smoke some Balkan blend that I have, (I love that Oriental tobacco) and fell asleep in my smoking chair! When I came in I thought I'd try to get a little writing done. The computer I write on is on an old desk in my dining room which is about 18 X 18 feet. (I live in a big old farmhouse.) I sat for awhile to think about what I wanted to write and nodded off again! I don't think I was out long and when I raised my head I had my pipe in my mouth. And it was lit and smoking.